The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-13
ON RAIL AND cRossTIE.
Local and General Gossip in Railway
Circles.

Circles.
The Kansas City, Memphis and Birming
ham Aberdeen extension is within one mile
of Aberdeen, Ala The track-laying will
be completed on Wednesday.
The Columbus people are getting anxious
about the Central's proposed extension of
the Buena Vista and Ellaville road through
| to Columbus. President Alexander's inten-
ton is to extend the road as soon as possible.
Officers of the Pullman Car Company say
that the earnings of the sleeping-car lines
are running $4,000 day ahead OF those of
the corresponding period in 1886. Much of
this increase is due to the heavy travel to
the Pacific coast.
John H. Inman has declined the Presi
dency of the Richmond and Danville,
alleging lack of time to give the duties
necessary attention He may go into the
Terminal board. It is generally conceded
that r. p. Flower has been the heavy seller
of the stock in consequence of dissatisfaction
at the condition of affairs. 1t is estimated
that Mr. Rockefeller may also decline cleo
ton as director.
The railway mail service has reached i'm
mense proportions. 1t appears from the re-
port of the Postmaster General that at the
close of the last fiscal year there were 9l3
lines of railway post offices, an increase of
AZ extending over 5000 IL miles of rail-
road, anincrease of 5,936.S2; the clerks in
the service numbered 4,S5l, an increase of
27S; the total daily distance run by clerks
was $50, 95S SO miles, an increase of 1918. IS.
The entire miles of service performed by
clerks in crews was 107, 067, 643, a gain Of
6, l43, 733 over the preceding year. These
clerks handled s, 1874 800, SIS pieces of ordi-
nary mail matter; sos, 169, 400 more than in
the previous year.
An Augusta special says that it is not
generally known that Augusta is to have
another new railroad in the course of six
months. However, this is true, for the At
lantc Coast line is now at work on an ex-
tension from Sumter to Augusta, a distance
Of about eighty miles The road is already
built 10 the Santee river, and is being
rapidly pushed forward toward Blac1ville,
where it will strike the South Carolina
road, and probably run in on their track
The road will be rushed to completion, and
by June l next there will be a fasr line
from Atlanta via Augusta to all Northern
points. The Georgia railroad has decided
to run in connection with them.
South Carolina engineers can tell good
stories when they want to. The Augusta
Chronicle prints one. It is this: A few
nights since a novel race was run on the
South Carolina road between deer and a
passenger train. The bridge across the
Edisto had just been crossed, when Just
ahead of the engine, standing for a moment
in the full glare of the headlight, a splendid
buck was seen. Frightened by the noise of
the on-coming train he turned and took to
his heels up the track There was a chal-
lenge to a race Haunted in each graceful
toss of head and heels and the temptation
was too great for the engsneer. Pulling
open his throttle TO its greatest notch, ON
and on, and gaining with each throbbing
pulse the train sped, seeming like thing of
life, to strive with straining muscles and
energies to outstrip its noble contestant
Past telegraph posts and mile posts that
seemed to be fleeing in the opposite direc-
ton, sped the deer, and the painting, snort
ing pursuer, until after a chase of several
miles when the hungry wheels were almost
on their coveted victim, Mr.. Buck sprung
into the low-lying scrub that lines the track
on both sides, and quietly saw his pursuer
pass on its way to disappointment and Au-
guSta.